English subtitles for clip: File:President Obama on Death of Osama bin Laden no watermark.webm
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1 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:10,062 Good evening. Tonight I can report to the American 2 00:00:10,126 --> 00:00:13,942 people and to the world that the United States has conducted 3 00:00:13,966 --> 00:00:17,518 an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of 4 00:00:17,534 --> 00:00:20,862 Al-Qaeda and a terrorist who's responsible for 5 00:00:20,886 --> 00:00:23,662 the murder of thousands of innocent men, 6 00:00:23,846 --> 00:00:27,718 women and children. It was nearly ten 7 00:00:27,774 --> 00:00:31,262 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the 8 00:00:31,286 --> 00:00:33,970 worst attack on the American people in our history. 9 00:00:34,710 --> 00:00:38,102 The images of 9/11 are seared into our national 10 00:00:38,166 --> 00:00:42,318 memory. Hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless 11 00:00:42,494 --> 00:00:45,678 September sky. The twin towers collapsing to 12 00:00:45,694 --> 00:00:48,982 the ground. Black smoke billowing up from the 13 00:00:49,006 --> 00:00:52,870 Pentagon. The wreckage of flight 93 14 00:00:52,990 --> 00:00:57,330 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved 15 00:00:57,670 --> 00:01:00,050 even more heartbreak and destruction. 16 00:01:00,950 --> 00:01:04,358 And yet, we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to 17 00:01:04,374 --> 00:01:07,850 the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. 18 00:01:08,590 --> 00:01:12,130 Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. 19 00:01:13,070 --> 00:01:16,650 Parents who would never know the feeling of their child's embrace. 20 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:21,368 Nearly 3000 citizens taken from us, 21 00:01:21,544 --> 00:01:23,900 leaving a gaping hole in our hearts. 22 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,936 On September 11th, 2001, in our time 23 00:01:28,968 --> 00:01:31,780 of grief, the American people came together. 24 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,232 We offered our neighbors a hand and we offered the wounded our 25 00:01:36,256 --> 00:01:39,432 blood. We reaffirmed our ties to 26 00:01:39,456 --> 00:01:42,850 each other and our love of community and 27 00:01:42,890 --> 00:01:46,330 country. On that day, no matter where we came 28 00:01:46,370 --> 00:01:50,482 from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity 29 00:01:50,546 --> 00:01:53,666 we were, we were united as one 30 00:01:53,738 --> 00:01:57,322 American family. We were also united in 31 00:01:57,346 --> 00:02:01,266 our resolve to protect our nation and to 32 00:02:01,298 --> 00:02:04,870 bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. 33 00:02:05,570 --> 00:02:08,962 We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by Al-Qaeda, 34 00:02:08,986 --> 00:02:12,300 an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, 35 00:02:12,340 --> 00:02:15,572 which had openly declared war on the United States and 36 00:02:15,596 --> 00:02:19,120 was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. 37 00:02:19,700 --> 00:02:23,260 And so we went to war against Al-Qaeda to protect 38 00:02:23,300 --> 00:02:26,840 our citizens, our friends and our allies. 39 00:02:27,980 --> 00:02:31,684 Over the last ten years, thanks to the tireless and heroic 40 00:02:31,732 --> 00:02:35,370 work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, 41 00:02:35,540 --> 00:02:39,150 we've made great strides in that effort. We've disrupted 42 00:02:39,190 --> 00:02:42,210 terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. 43 00:02:42,670 --> 00:02:46,230 In Afghanistan we removed the Taliban government which had given bin Laden 44 00:02:46,270 --> 00:02:49,822 and Al-Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the 45 00:02:49,846 --> 00:02:53,582 globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores 46 00:02:53,606 --> 00:02:57,462 of Al-Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 47 00:02:57,486 --> 00:03:00,982 9/11 plot. Yet Osama bin 48 00:03:01,006 --> 00:03:04,684 Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border 49 00:03:04,772 --> 00:03:08,396 into Pakistan. Meanwhile, Al-Qaeda continued to 50 00:03:08,428 --> 00:03:12,372 operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates 51 00:03:12,476 --> 00:03:15,812 across the world. And so shortly after taking 52 00:03:15,876 --> 00:03:20,156 office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, 53 00:03:20,348 --> 00:03:23,980 to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority 54 00:03:24,020 --> 00:03:28,172 of our war against Al-Qaeda. Even as we continued our broader efforts 55 00:03:28,276 --> 00:03:31,600 to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network. 56 00:03:32,660 --> 00:03:36,556 Then, last August, after years of painstaking 57 00:03:36,628 --> 00:03:40,156 work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible 58 00:03:40,228 --> 00:03:43,364 lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, 59 00:03:43,532 --> 00:03:46,440 and it took many months to run this thread to ground. 60 00:03:47,020 --> 00:03:50,252 I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed 61 00:03:50,276 --> 00:03:54,180 more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within 62 00:03:54,220 --> 00:03:58,550 a compound deep inside Pakistan. And finally, 63 00:03:58,670 --> 00:04:02,382 last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to 64 00:04:02,406 --> 00:04:06,102 take action and authorized an operation to get Osama bin 65 00:04:06,126 --> 00:04:08,330 Laden and bring him to justice. 66 00:04:09,310 --> 00:04:13,286 Today, at my direction, the United States launched a 67 00:04:13,318 --> 00:04:16,870 targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, 68 00:04:16,990 --> 00:04:20,342 Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out 69 00:04:20,366 --> 00:04:23,570 the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. 70 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:28,560 No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian 71 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,992 casualties. After a firefight, they killed 72 00:04:32,016 --> 00:04:35,420 Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body. 73 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,400 For over two decades, bin Laden has been Al-Qaeda's leader and 74 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,272 symbol and has continued to plot attacks against our country and 75 00:04:44,296 --> 00:04:47,912 our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks 76 00:04:47,936 --> 00:04:52,420 the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat Al-Qaeda. 77 00:04:52,930 --> 00:04:55,550 Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. 78 00:04:56,050 --> 00:04:59,910 There is no doubt that Al-Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. 79 00:05:00,330 --> 00:05:04,282 We must, and we will remain vigilant at 80 00:05:04,306 --> 00:05:08,746 home and abroad. As we do, we must also reaffirm 81 00:05:08,778 --> 00:05:12,910 that the United States is not, and never will be at war with Islam. 82 00:05:13,690 --> 00:05:17,466 I've made it clear, just as President Bush did 83 00:05:17,498 --> 00:05:21,052 shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. 84 00:05:21,196 --> 00:05:24,980 Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader. He was a mass murderer of 85 00:05:25,020 --> 00:05:28,052 Muslims. Indeed, Al-Qaeda has slaughtered scores 86 00:05:28,076 --> 00:05:31,772 of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his 87 00:05:31,796 --> 00:05:35,724 demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human 88 00:05:35,772 --> 00:05:39,500 dignity. Over the years, I've repeatedly 89 00:05:39,540 --> 00:05:43,092 made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if 90 00:05:43,116 --> 00:05:46,860 we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we've done. 91 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:51,344 But it's important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan 92 00:05:51,472 --> 00:05:55,088 helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was 93 00:05:55,104 --> 00:05:59,112 hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan 94 00:05:59,176 --> 00:06:03,060 as well and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people. 95 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,208 Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also 96 00:06:07,264 --> 00:06:09,900 spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. 97 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:14,140 They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our 98 00:06:14,180 --> 00:06:18,620 nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue 99 00:06:18,780 --> 00:06:22,440 to join us in the fight against Al-Qaeda and its affiliates. 100 00:06:23,620 --> 00:06:25,960 The American people did not choose this fight. 101 00:06:26,700 --> 00:06:30,132 It came to our shores and started with the 102 00:06:30,156 --> 00:06:32,760 senseless slaughter of our citizens. 103 00:06:33,380 --> 00:06:37,416 After nearly ten years of service, struggle and 104 00:06:37,448 --> 00:06:40,552 sacrifice, we know well the costs of 105 00:06:40,576 --> 00:06:44,264 war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, 106 00:06:44,392 --> 00:06:47,936 as commander in chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost 107 00:06:47,968 --> 00:06:51,288 a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member 108 00:06:51,464 --> 00:06:55,016 who's been gravely wounded. So Americans 109 00:06:55,128 --> 00:06:58,448 understand the costs of war. Yet as 110 00:06:58,464 --> 00:07:01,968 a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, 111 00:07:02,144 --> 00:07:05,220 nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. 112 00:07:05,940 --> 00:07:09,188 We will be relentless in defense of our citizens 113 00:07:09,324 --> 00:07:12,588 and our friends and allies. We will be true to 114 00:07:12,604 --> 00:07:16,308 the values that make us who we are. And on nights 115 00:07:16,364 --> 00:07:19,756 like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved 116 00:07:19,788 --> 00:07:23,476 ones to Al-Qaeda's terror, justice has been 117 00:07:23,508 --> 00:07:27,172 done. Tonight, we give thanks to the 118 00:07:27,196 --> 00:07:31,156 countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who've worked tirelessly 119 00:07:31,268 --> 00:07:34,692 to achieve this outcome. The American people 120 00:07:34,876 --> 00:07:39,148 do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight 121 00:07:39,244 --> 00:07:42,660 they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result 122 00:07:42,780 --> 00:07:46,732 of their pursuit of justice. We give thanks for the 123 00:07:46,756 --> 00:07:50,828 men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, 124 00:07:50,964 --> 00:07:54,276 patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve 125 00:07:54,308 --> 00:07:57,612 our country. And they are part of a generation that has 126 00:07:57,636 --> 00:08:01,080 borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day. 127 00:08:02,330 --> 00:08:06,630 Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 128 00:08:07,210 --> 00:08:10,962 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in 129 00:08:10,986 --> 00:08:14,026 our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes 130 00:08:14,138 --> 00:08:18,230 to prevent another attack on our shores. And tonight, 131 00:08:18,770 --> 00:08:21,962 let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 132 00:08:21,986 --> 00:08:25,242 9/11. I know that it has, 133 00:08:25,306 --> 00:08:28,812 at times, frayed. Yet today's achievement is 134 00:08:28,836 --> 00:08:32,052 a testament to the greatness of our country and 135 00:08:32,076 --> 00:08:36,052 the determination of the American people. The cause 136 00:08:36,076 --> 00:08:40,092 of securing our country is not complete, but tonight we 137 00:08:40,116 --> 00:08:43,556 are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set 138 00:08:43,588 --> 00:08:47,120 our mind to. That is the story of our history, 139 00:08:47,740 --> 00:08:51,332 whether it's the pursuit of prosperity for our people or the 140 00:08:51,356 --> 00:08:54,040 struggle for equality for all our citizens, 141 00:08:54,540 --> 00:08:58,348 our commitment to stand up for our values abroad and 142 00:08:58,364 --> 00:09:01,880 our sacrifices to make the world a safer place. 143 00:09:02,940 --> 00:09:06,236 Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of 144 00:09:06,268 --> 00:09:09,560 wealth or power, but because of who we are. 145 00:09:10,220 --> 00:09:12,600 One nation under God, 146 00:09:12,940 --> 00:09:17,040 indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 147 00:09:17,940 --> 00:09:22,092 Thank you. May God bless you, and may God bless the United 148 00:09:22,156 --> 00:09:22,820 States of America.